The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) yesterday said that at an emergency meeting of its Executive Committee on August 1, 2014 at the BASL Secretariat in Hulftsdorp, it had decided to urge the Inspector General of Police to ensure the safety of BASL President Upul Jayasuriya.

The BASL has said in a statement: "Among those who attended the meeting on invitation were senior members of the Bar, including former Attorneys General Tilak Marapona and Shibly Aziz, Ikram Mohamed, Faisz Musthapha and Romesh De Silva and many others who had conveyed their solidarity with the President of the BASL. This emergency meeting was called due to the latest incident that took place on (31st July), where an unidentified person came to the office of the President of the BASL, waited for him and fled in an unregistered vehicle parked near Viharamahadevi Park. This was followed by another incident where three men in plain clothes were waiting outside Mr. Jayasuriya’s office at approximately 5.00 pm, allegedly for the motorcade of the President. This was contradicted by the Superintendent of Police in charge of the SIA who has informed Mr. Jayasuriya that they were waiting outside to conduct "security surveillance" for Mr. Jayasuriya.

Amongst other decisions it was unanimously resolved to seek an urgent meeting with the IGP and to urge him to take appropriate action in accordance with the law for the protection of the President of the BASL. The Executive Committee was also advised that pursuant to the investigations conducted by the Police, the facts had been reported to the Magistrate’s Courts of Kaduwela and Colombo. Therefore, it was resolved that the BASL will intervene in these proceedings to take over the prosecution immediately".